A gun-toting thug who terrorised a Truro family in their own home after a drinking binge has had his 'too soft' jail term increased by top judges.

Armed with a shotgun, Stephen James Barnett threatened and attacked a man and assaulted a woman, before driving to the edge of some nearby cliffs in an apparent suicide bid.

The 39-year-old, of Coronation Road, Hayle, admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, assault causing actual bodily harm, battery and driving over the limit. He was jailed for three years and four months at Truro Crown Court in January.

But his sentence was upped to five years and eight months at the Court of Appeal, in London last week, after senior judges ruled his original term was "unduly lenient."

The court heard Barnett had been drinking heavily before he went to the home of his victims in Truro on November 6 last year, armed with a shotgun. He threatened to kill a man and tried unsuccessfully to load the gun, before using the butt of it to strike his victim in the face.

Barnett then knocked him to the ground and kicked him in the head, and assaulted a woman. He then fled and was found a short while later in his car by a cliff edge, giving police the impression he intended to take his own life.

His case was referred to the Appeal Court by Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, who argued that his original jail term was far too short for his crimes.

Agreeing, and increasing the sentence, Lord Justice Davis said the original term did not reflect the serious nature of his offending.

Sitting with Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb and Judge Julian Goose QC, he added: "We think the overall sentence should have been one of five years and eight months imprisonment."